That's true, but the article says "the men, who had allegedly stolen a red SUV from Southgate, broke into a home on Dequindre and 12 1/2 Mile Rd. Monday morning, setting off the pursuit." It wasn't just a joyride. Letting them go potentially risks the lives of innocent people too. Policy has been moving toward abandoning chases of "20-something males with bad driving records," which is probably for the best. I will miss the helicopter drama, though. Here's my favorite chase video [0:46]:The suspects stole a shitty old car, and the police risked the lives of innocent people to catch the young men that stole it.
Much to the dismay of TV executives, most cops will no longer conduct long chases that start when the officer tries to pull a motorist over for a broken taillight (though cops still chase suspected felons and other serious bad guys.)